On pages 14 and 15 , I report on the launch event , which re-screened Professor Sir Michael Marmot ’ s plenary session from this year ’ s RCOT Annual Conference , where he called on government to ‘ put a fair distribution of health and wellbeing ’ at the heart of its policies , before a panel took questions for discussion from the virtual audience .
It ’ s no surprise then that the topic of health equity features fairly heavily this issue . Occupational therapist and disabled parent Sarah Fay has combined her occupational therapy background and lived experience of complex needs to navigate her own parenting journey to set up a registered charity , to provide disabled parents with a place , a voice and a space to belong .
Founded and designed as a service specifically for disabled mothers and fathers and those parents with additional support needs , Sarah believes it is the first organisation of its kind that can provide clinical , as well as social and functional assessments in relation to the life role of being a parent . Read more on page 34 .
In a first for this magazine , we have a co-authored feature about adapting an art group for deaf people on a mental health ward during the pandemic . What ’ s unique about this article is that it is written by occupational therapist Hannah Spreadbury-Troy and activity co-ordinator Paz Jordan ; Hannah is hearing and Paz is deaf and uses British Sign Language .
Since June last year that two have facilitated an art group with an art charity called Hospital Rooms , delivered remotely via Zoom . Turn to page 16 to find out more and to see some of the artwork the patients have created .
And on page 24 , occupational therapist Kezia Edridge , a specialist support worker with The Salvation Army anti trafficking and modern-day slavery unit , explores the important emerging role occupational therapists can play while working with survivors of human trafficking and modern-day slavery .
Then , on page 22 , Clarissa Thompson reflects on the strengths she has brought as an occupational therapist to a brand-new autism access lead role . She shares some of the key findings from the project alongside her thoughts on why occupational therapy is so vital to the future of neurodiversity services
And still on the topic of neurodiversity , on page 20 , Victoria Broom talks about her own experience of transitioning from student to practitioner with the ‘ label ‘ dyslexic and how , with the support of her team , she has become proud of the occupational therapist she is today .
That ’ s just a taste of what ’ s inside – we ’ ve also got three articles about occupational therapists pushing themselves as athletes , a look at nature-based health interventions for people with Long COVID , and much more – I hope you enjoy this issue .
editor ’ s comment
Tracey Samuels , Editor
If you have any feedback about this issue of OTnews , or would like to contribute a short article or feature for a future publication , please email me at : editorial @ rcot . co . uk